Billund Airport looks ahead to busy 2018

Billund Airport followed a record-breaking year in 2016 with more all-time highs for 2017 in passenger traffic and cargo, up 9.2% and 9%, respectively. More growth and new routes are expected in 2018.

With more than a quarter of a million more passengers (+284,000) than in the previous year, the airport saw a total of 3.4 million people travelling through western Denmark’s busiest gateway in 2017.

Billund’s best ever results were also its eighth consecutive year of passenger traffic growth, the figures being pushed upwards by a 13.8% rise in international traffic.

“Our international routes have created significant growth over the last few years, with 2017 being no exception,” explains Billund Airport CEO Kjeld Zacho Jørgensen.

“Our core catchment embraces seven major West Danish cities and the overall progression in the economy in our area has been evident over the last 12 months.”

He added: “Our strong customer base is taking advantage of our expanding route network and cementing Billund’s position as West Denmark’s international airport.”

What’s next?
The airport has already lined up an additional five new routes and one new airline to keep traffic rising in 2018. For the summer season, Wizz Air starts a direct connection to Iasi, the second-largest city in Romania, with a twice-weekly service from April 30.

Wizz will also mark the beginning of Billund’s winter season with the recently announced launch of a route to Vienna, taking advantage of the fact that the last ten years have seen a steady year-on-year increase in indirect traffic to the Austrian capital.

With a three times weekly service to Bergen in summer, Billund will welcome the arrival of its latest airline, Widerøe. Ryanair starts a weekly service to Athens from May 15, and Primera Air also launches a weekly route to the Greek capital from May 23.

Jørgensen says that over the next three years the airport will be investing in its infrastructure to support its “strategy in providing a sustainable airport”.